Contents -BIBLIOGRAPHIC RECORD

William McCarty, comp. The American National Song Book. 1842.

Erie and Champlain

HAIL to the day which arises in splendour,

Shedding the lustre of victory afar,

Long shall its glory illumine September,

Which twice beheld freemen the victors in war.

Roused by the spirit of heaven-born Freedom,

Perry, her lightnings pour’d over the lake,

His falchion, a meteor, glitters to lead them,

And swift on the foemen, in thunders they break.

Loud swells the cannon’s roar,

Round Erie’s sounding shore,

Answer’d in volleys, by musketry’s voice,

Till Britain’s cross descends,

And the haughty foe bends:

Victory, glory, Columbians, rejoice.

Hail to the day, which in splendour returning,

Lights us to conquest and glory again;

Time, hold that year—still the war-torch was burning,

And threw its red ray on the waves of Champlain.

Roused by the spirit that conquer’d for Perry,

Dauntless Macdonough advanced to the fray:

Instant the glory that brighten’d Lake Erie,

Burst on Champlain with the splendour of day;

Loud swells the cannon’s roar,

On Plattsburg’s bloody shore,

Britons retreat from the tempest of war,

Prevost deserts the field,

While the gallant ships yield,

Victory, glory, Columbians, huzza!

Hail to the day which, recorded in story,

Lives the bright record of unfading fame,

Long shall Columbians, inspired by its glory,

Hail its returning with joyous acclaim.

Victory scatter’d profusely the laurel

Over our heroes on land and on flood,

Britain, astonish’d, relinquish’d the quarrel,

Peace saw her olive arise from the blood.

Now cannons cease to roar

Round Freedom’s peaceful shore,

Silent and hush’d is the war bugle’s voice,

Let festive joys increase,

In the sunshine of peace,

Peace gain’d by victory; Freemen, rejoice!